newly phrased documentation for spin loop hints

Author: Arno Haase

src/libcore/hint.rs

@@ -49,28 +49,16 @@ pub unsafe fn unreachable_unchecked() -> ! {
     intrinsics::unreachable()
 }
 
-/// Signals the processor that it is entering a busy-wait spin-loop.
+/// Emits a machine instruction hinting to the processor that it is running in busy-wait
+/// spin-loop ("spin lock").
 ///
-/// Upon receiving spin-loop signal the processor can optimize its behavior by, for example, saving
-/// power or switching hyper-threads.
-///
-/// This function is different than [`std::thread::yield_now`] which directly yields to the
-/// system's scheduler, whereas `spin_loop` only signals the processor that it is entering a
-/// busy-wait spin-loop without yielding control to the system's scheduler.
-///
-/// Using a busy-wait spin-loop with `spin_loop` is ideally used in situations where a
-/// contended lock is held by another thread executed on a different CPU or core and where the
-/// waiting times are relatively small. Because entering busy-wait spin-loop does not trigger the
-/// system's scheduler, no overhead for switching threads occurs. However, if the thread holding the
-/// contended lock is running on the same CPU or core, the spin-loop is likely to occupy an entire
-/// CPU slice before switching to the thread that holds the lock. If the contending lock is held by
-/// a thread on the same CPU or core or if the waiting times for acquiring the lock are longer, it
-/// is often better to use [`std::thread::yield_now`].
+/// For a discussion of different locking strategies and their trade-offs, see
+/// [`core::sync::atomic::spin_loop_hint`].
 ///
 /// **Note**: On platforms that do not support receiving spin-loop hints this function does not
 /// do anything at all.
 ///
-/// [`std::thread::yield_now`]: ../../std/thread/fn.yield_now.html
+/// [`core::sync::atomic::spin_loop_hint`]: ./sync/atomic/fn.spin_loop_hint.html
 #[inline]
 #[unstable(feature = "renamed_spin_loop", issue = "55002")]
 pub fn spin_loop() {

src/libcore/sync/atomic.rs

@@ -124,28 +124,31 @@ use crate::fmt;
 
 use crate::hint::spin_loop;
 
-/// Signals the processor that it is entering a busy-wait spin-loop.
+/// Signals the processor that it is inside a busy-wait spin-loop ("spin lock").
 ///
 /// Upon receiving spin-loop signal the processor can optimize its behavior by, for example, saving
 /// power or switching hyper-threads.
 ///
-/// This function is different than [`std::thread::yield_now`] which directly yields to the
-/// system's scheduler, whereas `spin_loop_hint` only signals the processor that it is entering a
-/// busy-wait spin-loop without yielding control to the system's scheduler.
+/// This function is different from [`std::thread::yield_now`] which directly yields to the
+/// system's scheduler, whereas `spin_loop_hint` does not interact with the operating system.
 ///
-/// Using a busy-wait spin-loop with `spin_loop_hint` is ideally used in situations where a
-/// contended lock is held by another thread executed on a different CPU or core and where the
-/// waiting times are relatively small. Because entering busy-wait spin-loop does not trigger the
-/// system's scheduler, no overhead for switching threads occurs. However, if the thread holding the
-/// contended lock is running on the same CPU or core, the spin-loop is likely to occupy an entire
-/// CPU slice before switching to the thread that holds the lock. If the contending lock is held by
-/// a thread on the same CPU or core or if the waiting times for acquiring the lock are longer, it
-/// is often better to use [`std::thread::yield_now`].
+/// Spin locks can be very efficient for short lock durations because they do not involve context
+/// switches or interaction with the operating system. For long lock durations they become wasteful
+/// however because they use CPU cycles for the entire lock duration, and using a
+/// [`std::sync::Mutex`] is likely the better approach. If actively spinning for a long time is
+/// required, e.g. because code polls a non-blocking API, calling [`std::thread::yield_now`]
+/// or [`std::thread::sleep`] may be the best option.
+///
+/// **Note**: Spin locks are based on the underlying assumption that another thread will release
+/// the lock 'soon'. In order for this to work, that other thread must run on a different CPU or
+/// core (at least potentially). Spin locks do not work efficiently on single CPU / core platforms.
 ///
 /// **Note**: On platforms that do not support receiving spin-loop hints this function does not
 /// do anything at all.
 ///
 /// [`std::thread::yield_now`]: ../../../std/thread/fn.yield_now.html
+/// [`std::thread::sleep`]: ../../../std/thread/fn.sleep.html
+/// [`std::sync::Mutex`]: ../../../std/sync/Mutex.html
 #[inline]
 #[stable(feature = "spin_loop_hint", since = "1.24.0")]
 pub fn spin_loop_hint() {